There is a cyberattack every 39 seconds, according to recent estimates from the University of Maryland. Data breaches and cyberattacks are daily headlines—and employee benefits plans are no exception to those threats. In fact, employee benefits plans are even more vulnerable as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Organizations and benefits providers are relying heavily on electronic access, ultimately creating new vulnerabilities.

Retirement, savings and health plans are attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking access to plan assets and the personal information of participants and beneficiaries. Sensitive information is valuable information when it comes to cyberattacks.

Some examples of cyberthreats include phishing, malware and ransomware attacks. Lost or stolen mobile devices, laptops and flash drives that hold personal information are additional tangible threats to benefits plans.

Organizations must always be ready for the worst to happen. In the unfortunate event of a security breach, it’s important to be prepared with a basic communication and action plan. Even better, employers can incorporate security breaches into their comprehensive reputation management plans. Internal and external audiences should be kept in mind as well as appropriate actions to protect information and restore overall system integrity. If not handled quickly and appropriately, reputational damage could be an additional threat to all parties involved in employee benefits plans.

Health-related Productivity Costs

While offering health coverage and benefits for employees and dependents is a major business expense, lost productivity due to physical and emotional health problems can be much more expensive for employers. To combat lost productivity, employers can consider:

• • Offering health fairs, screenings and health risk assessments
• • Addressing conditions that affect many employees
• • Integrating health benefit strategies with wellness initiatives
• • Designing a benefits package to support ideal behaviors

If an employer doesn’t address employee health care needs, the workplace is far more likely to experience the negative effects of diminished productivity. However, if the organization can commit time and funds to help employees get and stay healthy, it can reduce medical and pharmacy costs and increase worker productivity. Read More

Maintaining good posture is a simple yet effective way to keep the structures in the back and spine in good working order. Good posture and back support are essential in reducing back and neck pain. Even sitting at a desk all day can wreak havoc on the back and neck, resulting in pain.

Good Posture

The Cleveland Clinic Department of Patient Education and Health Information defines posture as the position in which one holds his or her body upright against gravity. Good posture involves training the body to stand, walk, sit and lie in ways to place the least amount of strain on muscles and ligaments. There are many physical benefits to having good posture, such as:

• • Keeping your bones and joints in the correct alignment to ensure that muscles work properly
• • Decreasing abnormal wear on joint surfaces
• • Decreasing the stress on ligaments which hold the spine together
• • Preventing the spine from fixing in an abnormal position
• • Lessening fatigue
• • Preventing strains, backaches and muscular pain

Contributions to Bad Posture

Though it is not a conscious decision most of the time, many workers have bad posture which can result in injuries. Here are some common behaviors that contribute to bad posture:

• • Shoulders hunched forward while slouching
• • Forming a “swayback” (also known as lordosis) in which there is an inward curve in the lower back
• • Carrying a heavy load on one side of the body
• • Cradling a phone receiver between the neck and shoulder
• • Slumping or sliding in a forward position in a chair

Helpful Solutions

Want to ease strains and prevent back and neck pain? Here are some helpful tips for standing, sitting and lying down:

Standing Properly:

• • Put your chin in and keep your head up
• • Keep your earlobes in line with the middle of your shoulders
• • Keep shoulder blades back and chest forward
• • Keep your knees straight and tuck in your stomach  Read More

Nearly 70% of non-organic produce sold in the United States contains pesticide residue, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Every year, the EWG ranks pesticide residue levels of fruits and vegetables based on samples taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, publishing the results in the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

Included in the report is a list of the most pesticide-tainted produce, which is known as the “Dirty Dozen.” For 2021, the following were on this list:

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard and mustard greens

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Grapes

7. Cherries

8. Peaches

9. Pears

10. Bell and hot peppers

11. Celery

12. Tomatoes

In addition to the Dirty Dozen, the EWG publishes the “Clean Fifteen,” highlighting the “cleanest” produce. For 2021, avocados and sweet corn topped the list.

What Can You Do?

Most Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables daily. Don’t let the Dirty Dozen scare you away from eating fruits and veggies—all properly handled fresh produce, whether organic or not, is believed to be safe to eat.

To remove any pesticide residue, simply wash your fresh produce under running tap water for 30 seconds. If you’re still uneasy about pesticides, buy the frozen or canned versions of your favorite produce as an alternative option. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious for you, so find what works best for your household.

If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your doctor. Read More

On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate in a 7-2 ruling.

This lawsuit was filed in 2018 by 18 states as a result of the 2017 tax reform law that eliminated the individual mandate penalty. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the ACA on the basis that the individual mandate is a valid tax. With the penalty’s elimination, the appeals court in this case determined that the individual mandate is no longer valid under the U.S. Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s Ruling

The Supreme Court determined that the plaintiffs in this case did not have standing to sue, meaning that they have not shown

that they suffered any injury as a result of the elimination of the individual mandate penalty and, therefore, do not have a legal right to sue. As a result, the ACA as it exists today will remain in place.

According to the Court, allowing a lawsuit “attack[ing] an unenforceable statutory provision [to continue] would allow a federal court to issue what would amount to ‘an advisory opinion without the possibility of any judicial relief.'”

The Court did not make any determinations on any other issue in the case, including the validity of the individual mandate or whether the rest of the ACA can be severed from the individual mandate provision. However, this case is now concluded and the ACA will remain in place. Read More